Facebook Campaign to Free Jonathan Pollard

Social networking helped unite people in Iran, Tunisia and Egypt. Can it free a Zionist Jew from 26 years in a US jail?

By Gil Ronen

First Publish: 1/30/2011, 10:24 AM / Last Update: 1/30/2011, 10:53 AM

After Internet social networking helped to unite the people in their desire for change in such places in Iran, Tunisia and Egypt - it is now being added as a supplementary source of information in the struggle to free Israeli agent, Jonathan Pollard from the US jail where he has been languishing for more than 25 years.

Justice for Jonathan Pollard, the group that spearheads action for Pollard in the U.S., is launching a new page on Facebook that is intended to encourage the participation of a large and diverse group of people, internationally and in Israel.

The move comes at a time of awakening in the activity for Pollard, after dozens of congressmen, government officials and members of the defense and justice establishment have come out for Pollard's freedom.

"Over the years, there were many people who were not aware of the injustice done to Jonathan, and there were some who were aware of it, but had reservations about participating in the struggle for justice," a spokesman explained. "Now that everyone understands that this is a matter of simple justice, we are offering every one a simple way to join the numerous senior personages who have already called for Jonathan's release."

The new Facebook page will offer the latest updates on the struggle for Pollard's freedom, and it will also serve as an activation center: Members who join will receive messages with instructions for carrying out simple activities to help free Jonathan - a man who sacrificed his freedom and endangered himself for Israel.

Justice for Jonathan Pollard has asked supporters to do all they can to spread news of the English-language Facebook initiative far and wide. "Now that the truth is clear to everyone, the only thing that can prevent Jonathan's release is a situation in which the matter fades away and disappears from the public agenda. The responsibility for making sure this does not happen rests with every single one of us."